The Rooms that Never Were
by Sailorstar165
Summary: It's Roxas's first week in Organization XIII, and he just can't seem to find his own room. Some mild OoCness. Cowritten with Inuobsessed004.
1. Learn A Lot From the Flowers

Metal walls. Metal floors. Stairs. Nothing all that different. Everything looked the same. And that was the source of Roxas's dilemma. Not that Roxas really knew he had a dilemma. He was just wandering around the castle in a daze, mindlessly searching for his room. It was his first day, and he'd been told where it was, but that didn't mean he truly understood what a left at the lounge, a right up the stairs, and then down the hall really meant. Those were just words, meaningless to Roxas's fogged brain.

So he ended up running into things. Namely walls. Again and again for over an hour. The others had been graceful enough to steer him away from imminent doom (the stairs) or death (the altar) one too many times today. Roxas continuously found himself down an empty hallway with no clue where to go and no ambition to go anywhere in general. He sighed to himself, ran a hand through his blonde hair and looked at one of the doors. Chances were that one of the doors belonged to him, right? So he decided to try his luck.

The room Roxas walked into was a mass of colors, flowers, and scents. Petals littered the ground, but they were all rose petals scattered around plants that even Roxas in his dumb-daze could tell weren't the same plant. He heard whistling, then singing of some show tune or another, and then Marluxia stepped out from behind a bush, a sun bonnet tied onto his head with a pink ribbon and a watering can in his garden gloved hands.

"Oh! Roxas! What're you doing here?" Marluxia snatched at his straw bonnet and hid it behind his back. The motion scattered rose petals over the floor. "Are you interested in gardening now?"

Roxas stared blankly at the pink-haired... man... Well, he assumed it was a man. The actions by said "man" might prove otherwise, however. Roxas looked around the brightly colored room, the magenta walls, green-house effect atmosphere and overpowering scents made his throat close in and his nose burn in irritation. He frowned to himself and replied, "I… guess?" He didn't exactly know how to respond to Marluxia, or even if that question warranted a response.

For some reason, though, Marluxia looked OVERJOYED at this delayed response. "REALLY?" He squealed with girlish delight and clapped his hands together in amusement, "You _have _to meet my babies first!"

"Babies...?" Roxas repeated blankly. If he'd had half a brain, he might question Marluxia's sexuality even more. Men didn't have "babies," but he didn't exactly know that.

"Oh, you just have to meet them!" Marluxia grabbed Roxas's hand and led him down the path between flowers. The room was bigger than it looked from the doorway, and the plants were even bigger here than by the door. One in particular would have frightened Roxas had it not been for his lack of brain power and heart for feelings.

This particular plant was red and spotted with what looked like large teeth, and as they walked by, it leaned out and opened its mouth wide, trying to sneak a taste of the newest member of the Organization. It would have, too, if Marluxia hadn't spun around and started scolding the plant.

"Bad Xigbar! Bad boy! You don't eat people! Especially not ones with spiky hair. They'll give you digestive problems with all that hair gel!" He pouted cutely at the plant, "You KNOW what happened with Axel! Hair gel and flames! A potent mixture!" He continued to shake his finger at the plant, the plant wilted slightly in fear.

Roxas blinked cutely, unaware of the awkwardness of the situation in front of him, he sighed, leaning back on the wall. Well, it _was_ a wall. Now it seemed to become a barrier of curious flame-colored vines. Poor Roxas could not for the non-life of him fight them off. "Ahhhh! They're taking off my pants! Why are they doing that?"

Marluxia jumped to attention at once. "Oh no! Not the Axel-vines! They seem to have taken a liking to you Roxas. I wonder why?" He mused this aloud as he pulled the terrified teenager from his soon-to-be rapists. Marluxia blinked. "Well, I guess you don't like tentacles either...?"

Somehow, somewhere, deep in the recesses of Roxas' mind, a warning went off. That warning clearly stated, "Danger, get away, something bad is happening and imminent doom is upon you." Roxas followed whatever instinct this might have been and headed for the door.

"Wait! I was gonna show you the rest of the gang!" Marluxia cried, grabbing Roxas's arm and pulling him back into the thick of the crazy plant life. He did keep Roxas safely away from his Axel-vines.

"Why are they Axel-vines?" Roxas asked. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

Marluxia shrugged. "They were red and spiky, so they reminded me of Axel." He then stopped before a whole collection of strange plants. "These are the rest of my pretty friends. Aren't they wonderful?"

Roxas was once again at a loss. He didn't know if "wonderful" described the large, odd, and slightly horrifying array of flora before him. There were nine plants, all centered around in a circle. The one on the far left was covered in thorns and had long dark colored reeds hanging off of it in clumps, which Marluxia said was Xaldin. The next was no better; it was large and bulky, the plant itself plain and ordinary, yet formidable in a sense—this was Lexeaus. There was a plant seemingly hiding behind it, it's grayish-blue hue seemed dull and shy—Zexion. The fourth one was yellow and had two tendrils sticking firmly upright out of it—Larxene. The fifth had a light green shade and was kept under a fan, seemingly to keep it cool—Vexen.

The other half of the circle was a bit separated. Starting on the far right was a bright yellow flower with fuzzy blue clumps attached to it—Luxord. There was a light brown one to the left of it that was currently drenched in water—Demyx.

The two that were apparently in the middle were the strangest by far. The one to the right of the middle was a bright shade of blue, with blue fuzzy ear-like petals and a large mouth-like projection. It had a little label under it that read, "Moonlight Bipolaridicus: keep out of direct moonlight," which Marluxia introduced as Saïx. Roxas couldn't help but wonder why the moonlight was bad for the flower, but he brushed it aside. The final plant that was in the middle was half white and half black, it was currently doing a small 'happy' squirm-like form of dancing next to the blue flower; this one was "Xemnas." Roxas couldn't help but suspect that he'd heard all these names before somewhere.

Marluxia walked over and gently pushed the black/white plant away from the other and said, "Watch this." The black-and-white plant stopped squirming immediately, and started to wilt, turning a shade of gray and looking quite sick. The blue flower twitched in irritation and 'snapped' at Roxas's nearby hand. Roxas had not read the subtle print underneath the plant's directions that said, "Watch out, I bite." Roxas jumped back a little, startled to say the least.

"They don't like to be separated," Marluxia explained, letting the black-and-white flower flop back over to the nasty one. "Keep that in mind, Roxas. It might just save your life one day."

"Why did you name them all?"

Marluxia chuckled. "Because they're my pretties! They need names."

There was an ugly squawk, and something popped out from one of the bushes-a peacock. "What's that, Marly?" Marluxia asked the funny-colored bird. "It's time to feed you?" He straightened up and dusted off his hands. "Whelp. I've got to feed Marly. See you, Roxas." And with that, he pushed Roxas out the door.

Roxas stood in the hall a moment, quite confused by what had just happened, then decided to wander to another door. Maybe this one would contain his room.

But before he had connected with the doorknob. A hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back. He turned to see a tall, lanky, red-headed man there, frowning at him. "Hey Roxas! Where're you going? Your room's over here!" The man, whom he later found out was Axel—Roxas hadn't memorized his name yet—led him back to another blank white door at the end of the hall.

Roxas rubbed his chin, "My room is...here?"

Axel put his hands on his hips. "Uh... Yeah. You forgot already?" Roxas nodded dumbly. Axel sighed, "Wow Roxas, you're definitely going to need to commit these things to memory." With that ending statement, Axel left Roxas in front of his room. Roxas opened the door, slipped quietly inside, and went to sleep, hoping that tomorrow he wouldn't get lost, again.

* * *

This is a cowrite with my friend, Inuobsessed004


	2. Sniped, Frozen, and Tea?

Despite Roxas's hopes and attempts at memorizing where his room was, after the meeting the next day, he got lost again. He was back in the same hall as the day before, though he didn't remember being here before, and so he felt completely lost. Had he not been a little zombie-like still, he probably would have thought to go back the way he came and ask one of the lingering Organization members, but he was still out of it, so instead he had the stupid idea of opening doors again.

This time he reached for the door across from Marluxia's room-though he didn't know that-and knocked.

He lightly knocked on the door, hoping that nothing would try to eat or rape him if it wasn't his room. When there was no answer, he gently opened the door and peeked inside.

The room was dark, and he couldn't see a thing. He frowned to himself and fumbled for a light switch. Had he turned his lights off? The lights clicked on, illuminating what appeared to be an array of shapes and obstacles. There were bushes here, fake trees there, miniature hills in the corner, and even a couple of things hanging from the walls that made Roxas raise an eyebrow. Why were there pictures of the Organization members with targets on their faces? And why were they covered in purple bullets?

He heard a rustling sound from the room, and then a black-cloaked figure barrel rolled across the room. The figure appeared to be talking to itself. "Hehe, let's see you dodge this Tinkerbell! Berserk my ass!" The figure shot a multitude of purple bullets and hit the picture with blue hair, right in the middle of his X-shaped scar, which was marked as the bulls-eye. "_Ha ha_! X marks the spot!"

The figure pulled his hood off to reveal himself as an older man with a gray stripe in his hair. He had a scar on his face and an eye patch that covered his missing eye. He turned towards the intruder. "Think you're sneaking up on _me_? As if!" He pointed his guns at Roxas.

Roxas stared dopily at the gun in Xigbar's hand, then looked up at the sniper in question. The gunman lowered his weapon, frowning. "Right. Not fun to pick on the newbie," he reminded himself. "You really need to find what you did with your brain, kiddo. It's no fun to aim at you if you don't scream like Marluxia." He twirled his gun, shot the cap off a bottle of soda, then took a swig. To anyone else, that would have been impressive, but it was a wasted effort on Roxas. "So what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Why are there bullets in... _those_?" Roxas asked, not quite sure what "those" were.

"They're targets. What do they look like?"

"...The others."

Xigbar rolled his eye. "You're no fun. You know that?"

Roxas frowned. "What's 'fun'?"

Xigbar almost choked on his beverage. "W-what? You're kidding me runt! Ha!" Xigbar smirked to himself, then pouted a little. "That's kind of sad, I guess. I really can't 'feel' it, ya' know dude?"

Roxas continued to frown, "No... I don't... I think..."

Xigbar set the drink down and leaned over Roxas in a questioning manner. "Eh?... A thought? Wow kiddo, didn't know you had it in you!" His smirk grew a little wider, and he chuckled at Roxas's expense.

Xigbar was about to comment further when they heard a knock from the door and a low male voice hiss, "Number II, I have a mission for you. Why are you not in the Grey Room?"

"Whoops. My mistake. Sorry, Scar-face." Xigbar grinned. It was obvious he didn't feel the least bit sorry. He patted Roxas on the head, placed a hand on Roxas's back, and ushered him out of the room first.

Saïx raised an eyebrow at the sniper. "You're using Number XIII as a shield." It was a statement, not a question.

"Gotta protect myself somehow," Xigbar replied with something between a smirk and a sneer.

Saïx narrowed his feral yellow eyes, a small, barely audible snarl escaped him. "Xigbar, the Superior requests your presence in the Grey Room. _Now_."

Xigbar chuckled, leading Roxas so that the child was situated between them. "Sheesh, don't get your panties in a bunch Moony."

Roxas looked up curiously at the spectacle going on around (and above) him. Why was the pirate yelling at the... blue-haired... scarred... Elfish-creature? Not only that, but the elf seemed quite angry.

Saïx ignored the new nickname and pointed in the direction that Xigbar was _supposed_ to go, but being that Xigbar was Xigbar, he had no intention of following said order.

So, he decided to try to distract the Diviner and then attempt his escape. Xigbar laughed and nudged Roxas. "Oh, seems the Second-In-Command forgot to introduce himself to the newest member."

Saix glared at Xigbar, knowing all-too-well that Xigbar was avoiding his command. He looked down at the other idiot, a blonde-haired one. "Number VII, Saix, The Luna Diviner."

Roxas blinked and didn't say anything. He didn't really know what he was supposed to do. The creature in front of him was growing more and more irritated, and Roxas could see that even the pirate had some weird fear of it, so maybe silence was the best answer.

Xigbar smirked, "Wow, you scared the newbie!

Saix slapped his forehead. "Moron. Nobodies can't feel fear."

"The hippie feels it a lot."

"That's just laziness."

"There's a difference?"

Saix sighed. "Go. Now. If you don't, I'll be forced into action." Roxas noticed a rather large club-like weapon appear in his hand.

"Hey, hey, hey, noo need to be hasty," Xigbar said, pulling Roxas directly in front of him again as a barrier.

Saix snarled a little, his scar becoming slightly larger and his hair started to go wild. Xigbar knew the warning signs and somewhere in his seldom-used brain, a little voice shouted, _"He's going berserk! Run for it!"_

Xigbar frowned, _'But what about the kid?'_

The voice screeched out, "_Fuck_ the kid! Abandon ship!"

And thus Roxas was left in front of a now foaming-from-the-mouth-rabid Saix, the worst obstacle known to nobody-kind. Roxas gulped, he rummaged through the pockets in his small coat for something, _anything_, to get him out of this situation. What he found was a small squeaky toy in the shape of a little gray cat—how it got there, he had no idea.

He clenched his eyes shut and hoped for the best as he squeaked the toy and dropped it on the floor as a distraction. When he opened them, he did not expect to see the creature rolling on the ground with the toy, barking and panting like a dog...

Roxas didn't want to stick around to continue watching the spectacular, however. Something in his practically dead brain told him that wasn't a good idea, and as that was the only thing sparking any thought, Roxas blindly followed the instinct. He headed for the stairs, walked up them, and turned to the closest door.

Inside it was cold. Very cold. So cold, frost was forming on the windows and the glass instruments in the room. The accommodations were sparse, with only a crammed bookcase and a rug on the floor offering any comfort.

A skeleton of a man stood before a desk against the wall, putting things into a smoking, bubbling liquid and then pulling frozen objects out to smash against the floor. He turned when the door opened, knocking over the liquid, which skittered across the floor until it steamed away. "Who invited you in?" the blond snapped.

Roxas stuttered a response. "Uhhh... nobody?"

Roxas didn't realize the small pun he had made, but the blond-haired man did and let out a creepy chuckle. "Yes... that _is_ true." The man turned back to his work. "I am Vexen, Number IV, the Chilly Academic."

Roxas took this as this man's way of introducing himself, or maybe his personality in general. "Oh… I'm... R-" He stopped. What was his name again? "…Um..."

Vexen turned towards the boy, frowning slightly. "Roxas?"

Roxas nodded quickly. "Yeah, that was it... I haven't got it down yet..."

Vexen rolled his eyes, thanking whatever gods there were that he hadn't said the word _memorized_. Vexen cursed the day the pyro had appeared; his annoying voice haunted his dreams. Of course, Vexen had things memorized! He was a _scientist_ god damn it! _Kids_ these days! During Vexen's mild mental breakdown, he accidentally knocked a bubbling chemical onto the ground. Said chemical made a hissing noise before slowly eating through the floor, leaving a hole.

Roxas looked blankly at the hole in the floor and then back at Vexen. "Are you going to do something about that?"

Vexen shrugged his shoulders and acted as if nothing had happened. He pulled over the rug to cover up the hole, revealing other similarly-shaped holes, "No harm done-"

"_Vexen_! What the hell?" The girlish shriek echoed across The Castle That Never Was. "My _baaaaabiiiiiieeees_! My poor _babies_! Vexen! You're dead when I get up there!"

There was a sudden clattering up the stairs, when the door wrenched open. Lexeaus lifted Roxas up under his arm like a sack of potatoes and walked out just as a flurry of angry red flowers and Marluxia shoved past to throttle Vexen. Roxas could hear shouting, but it was muffled when Lexeaus shut the door behind him. He hefted Roxas up over his shoulder and ambled away as if this happened all the time. In fact, it happened every other day, but Roxas didn't know that.

"I can walk," Roxas said stupidly.

"Lost?" Lexeaus asked.

Roxas wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. "I was looking for my room."

Lexeaus stopped at a room with a huge door-definitely not Roxas's-and went inside. This room was full of weights and other body-building gear. There was a bed off to the side, or Roxas thought it was a bed. It was hard to tell under all the stuffed animal plushies that littered the piece of furniture.

As they entered the room, Lexeaus dropped Roxas on top of a large plush bear, which cushioned his large fall from Lexeaus' high shoulder. Lexeaus lumbered over to one of his weight sets and sat down. He leaned over the side and reached into a nearby bag; Roxas heard a very audible rustling as Lexeaus' searched through said bag for something. Roxas sat quietly, not knowing what to do, and unsure if he should be paranoid about the fact that he was slowly sinking into the body of the bear.

After a few minutes, Lexeaus turned around with something in his hand. Roxas blinked once, twice, three times and wondered if what he was seeing was what he was actually seeing. He frowned, pondering this for ten seconds, then decided to respond. "Um, Le-" he stopped. "...uh, what was your name again?"

Lexeaus seemed unfazed at this and commented softly, "Lexeaus."

Roxas continued, "Uh, Lexeaus, why do you have a teacup in your hand?"

Lexeaus remained stoic, "Because I'm inviting you."

Roxas grew quiet. "To what?"

Lexeaus raised an eyebrow as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "A tea-party obviously."

Roxas would have been stunned by the idea if he'd had half a brain to think it odd. "How come?"

"Because you look hungry. You didn't eat at the meeting."

His stomach growled. "Oh." There wasn't much else to say.

After Lexeaus set up a little tea party with cakes and delicate tea cups before Roxas, he ambled over to a light blue rotary phone and dialed. Why the silent guy would have a phone, no one knew. "I found Roxas," he said simply into the phone. "Come pick him up before he gets lost again." Apparently, the Silent Hero wasn't so silent after all. Truth be told, he was only quiet when it came to important business. Otherwise, he was just a big, lovable teddy teddy bear factor was only known to one person, and that was Zexion. But Zexion never told a soul, so it was a well-kept secret.

Lexeaus sighed before sitting back down again. He gently reached over and poured the tea into the cup before Roxas and handed him a small cake that fit oh-so-perfectly into his hand. Roxas smiled weakly; somehow this display of hospitality kindled something within him, but he was unsure what it was. He munched on the cake—it was very sweet and delicious—while sipping politely, following Lexeaus' example, at his tea.

After a few minutes there was a knock on the door, and Lexeaus rose to his feet. He walked over to door and upon opening it Roxas saw the only person who Lexeaus would ask for help or reveal any secrets to: Zexion. To Roxas he was a small, young man with a bluish-gray tint to his hair. His face was half-hidden by his hair and his one blue eye scanned the room before landing on Roxas.

"Number XIII, it's good that Lexeaus found you. I am Zexion, Number VI, I'll help you back to your room." Zexion nodded to Lexeaus, and Roxas followed him out of the room and down the long hallway back to his room.

Zexion stopped in front of the door and sighed. "Number XIII—" he paused "—Roxas, you must learn your way around the castle. We don't need another burden. Axel and Demyx are enough. The Superior is exasperated keeping track of them."

Roxas nodded and stepped inside. Suddenly, he was very tired, so he crawled into bed and fell asleep.


	3. Rock my World

Roxas had begun a new day in the same hallway as before. Something new did happen, however. Before he could amble around and attempt to find his way to breakfast, his shoulder was grabbed, and he was being shuffled down the hallway in the opposite direction. Roxas didn't know what to do. Was he supposed to fight this person dragging him along or just go with it?

The other member opened a door to an unknown room and gently prodded him inside before removing his hood. The man, who was only a teenager with a Mohawk/mullet of dirty blond hair grinned down at him. "Heya Roxy! Thought I'd show you the coolest place in this _whoooole_ castle before you could run away so we could hang out and stuff!"

Roxas blinked and looked around. The room was filled with instruments and posters of various bands. There was a pile of discs lying in the far corner next to a weird shaped guitar-like object. Once Demyx spotted Roxas' eyes on it, he ran over and scooped it up, strumming the strings lightly, "This here is my weapon, my Sitar, isn't it cool? Totally bad-ass right?"

Roxas frowned, "Who are you again?"

"Oh yeah! You have memory issues still. I said hi yesterday. Demyx, remember?" Of course Roxas didn't; Demyx should have known that. Still, that didn't deter him from being his usual friendly self. "So do you like music, Roxy?"

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

Demyx grinned as he went through his CDs. "I give nicknames to everyone, Roxy. You asked me 'bout that yesterday when I called Xigbar 'Xiggy'. How's this one?" He stuck a CD in his boombox and turned it up.

Rock music poured out, and Demyx started playing air guitar. "Wild, isn't it?"

What made the situation humorous was the fact that Roxas did not know what _wild_ was in correlation to screaming creatures. Roxas supposed they were people at one time or another, but they sounded like something was torturing their vocal chords as they spewed out these sounds. Roxas frowned a little. "I suppose it is."

Demyx looked a bit disappointed by the boy's response, but he pressed on, switching the CDs to a more slow and romantic tune. "This one sets the mood, ya know?"

Roxas nodded in agreement; perhaps it was just better to go along with Demyx instead of attempting to understand him.

After nearly an hour with Demyx playing his sitar, singing and dancing, Roxas wanted to be saved... badly. Thankfully, lunch wasn't too far away, and even Demyx couldn't live on music alone. The musician's stomach growled, and he looked at the digital clock on his CD player.

"Lunch time!" he said with a huge grin, grabbing Roxas's arm. "Time to eat!" And this time he dragged Roxas to the dining hall instead.

Demyx sat Roxas in his appropriate seat, right next to a blonde-haired woman. She glared at him fiercely as the others started to portal their way into the room. Roxas looked up immediately when a deep voice sounded from the head of the table. A man with long, silky silver hair was the one doing the talking. He had sunset-orange eyes and a deep tan. To Roxas, he seemed to be misplaced among the others; he was too regal.

"Ah, Number XIII. I'm glad you have arrived on time. Allow me introduce you to the rest of the Organization. I am the Superior, Xemnas, or Number I." He motioned towards Xigbar. "I know you have already been acquainted with Xigbar."

The Freeshooter grinned at Roxas, giving him a look that sent chills up his spine. Roxas frowned. "Yes... I have, Sir."

"Good." Xemnas gestured to the other members in turn, some of whom Roxas remembered and had met, some of whom Roxas hadn't met at all. The latter included the woman who sat next to him, giving him the evil eye. Roxas wondered for a moment if he'd spoken to these people he didn't remember meeting and if that was why this woman was giving him this look, but the thought quickly left him. His mind couldn't wrap around much of anything for any length of time, and so his mind wandered to another topic, like his stomach, which was rumbling. Oh, that's right. He'd skipped breakfast against his will.

But the food didn't appear right away. Xemnas had to go into one of his lengthy speeches in which he waved his hands around and talked about the state of the Organization, which no one but Saix ever paid attention to anyway. Everyone else were thinking about the delicious food that would be set before them, just like Roxas.

Roxas frowned to himself. "Um, Superior Sir?"

Xemnas stopped. His shoulders slumped down in disappointment at being interrupted, but he brushed it off. "Yes Number XIII?"

Roxas twiddled his thumbs nervously. "My stomach hurts, Sir."

Xemnas blinked. "Oh, of course. The lunch!"

He motioned to the creepy wiggly creatures, which Roxas would later recognize as Dusks, to go get the food. Within minutes a wonderful feast was laid out along the extensive table. Roxas almost drooled on his plate. He went to reach for a large leg of meat, only to see it disappear as Saix snatched it, snarling at anyone who dared to come near his plate of food. The others stared at him in shock and horror; Xemnas just smiled as if nothing was wrong.

"But what about the rest of us?" Axel snapped at Saix, who just snarled back. "Oh yeah? Well take this!" he took a handful of mashed potatoes and chucked it at the blue-haired man.

Xigbar grinned and grabbed something else, green gelatin, and pitched it at Demyx, who was nailed in the face. "Food fight!"

Saix blinked, the food hitting him right in the middle of his scar. He entered berserk mode and literally flipped the table, hurling food _everywhere_ with a roar.

Xemnas just quietly slipped behind his large chair and took cover, not wanting to ruin his hair.

Xigbar poofed to the ceiling and began throwing food at everyone who he could see.

Roxas was covered in food, unsure was to do.

Demyx laughed, "Woot! This is _so_ much fun!"

The fight ended when gravy landed in Larxene's hair. The lightning user stood then and threw her knives at everyone except the Superior, paralyzing them all with the electric current. "Get gravy in my hair _one more time_," she hissed at Xigbar, who fell from the ceiling when the knife had embedded itself in his shoulder, "and I'll aim between the legs next time. And I _never _miss."

That said, Larxene stormed out of the room with a plate of food that hadn't been thrown. Once the door closed, the knives stopped sparking and everyone pulled the little daggers out.

"Way to ruin the fun," Xigbar grumbled, pulling the knife out of his shoulder and tossing it behind him. "So let's eat."

Now Roxas wasn't one to state the obvious, but he knew it had to be said. "How?"

The food was everywhere; on the floor, the walls, the ceiling, and even in his eyes. Axel was obviously not happy with his red hair, now green from lima-beans. Saïx snarled, attacking the meat that was on the ground and rolling around with it—obviously he had yet to return from his berserk state.

Xaldin sighed. "I'm not cleaning this up."

Xemnas' head reappeared, and he smirked. "Well since II started it, II can clean it up."

"That's a bloody brilliant idea!" Luxord applauded. Somehow, the Brit hadn't been covered in any food.

Xigbar's sneered at them, "But Axel threw the first shot. I just declared war. There's a big difference."

Xemnas frowned at Xigbar. "That's an order II." He knew very well that VIII would just light everything on fire. "Number VII... um... do I need to get you a muzzle?"

Saix stopped growling and biting at the meat and blushed, noticing all eyes on him.

Roxas frowned. _Is that guy a man or an animal?_

The Luna Diviner coughed lightly. "I'm sorry sir. I will try to control myself better."

Xigbar, meanwhile, was complaining as he went for the mop. He reappeared seconds later with the cleaning supplies and set to work.

"In the meantime," Xemnas said, "we will be taking lunch in the lounge. Cold cuts and such." He opened a portal and headed there first.

Roxas looked up at Axel. "Does this always happen?"

Axel grinned. "Only on the fun days Roxy! Only on the fun days!" He pushed the other into a newly opened portal.

Roxas tripped, landing with his butt up in the air in the lounge. Demyx chuckled, appearing out of a new portal next to Roxas. "Hehe Roxas! Nice one, buddy!"

"Who said he was your buddy?" Axel challenged.

Demyx grinned. "He hung out in my room this morning. That's why we weren't at breakfast."

Axel frowned, a slightly jealous look entering his eye. "Oh did he now?"

Demyx grinned, sticking his tongue out childishly. "Ya huh!"

Someone cleared their throat, effectively making all three boys jump. Xaldin rolled his eyes at them. "You're fighting over a child. Grow up." He walked away in a huff.

Luxord snaked his way over, as if sensing a way to get blackmail on Axel. "Oi mate, getting attached to 'im aren't cha?"

"Like hell I am," Axel muttered, looking away. "I just was feeling sorry for the kid after what Demyx must have put him through." He glanced at Roxas. "What _did _you and Demyx do, anyway?"

Roxas honestly couldn't remember much other than being hungry. "Listened to music," he guessed. That seemed about right.

"Oh, that's it?" Axel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Anyway, let's grab our food before another fight breaks out."

Roxas did not understand why spending time with Demyx was a bad thing, but he followed the redhead anyhow to the center of the room, grabbing some sandwiches.

Not surprisingly, once again, the sandwich with the most meat was taken, and the Luna Diviner was crouching in the corner eating it, hoarding it like some kind of deranged animal.

Xigbar finally reappeared, having used his spacial abilities to just portal parts of the mess away. He thought what the Superior didn't know wouldn't hurt him. When he stepped through the portal, he turned to Saix in horror. "Uh... Superior, I think your dog needs to be fixed or something."

Xemnas looked over and sighed again. "Leave him be. At least he's not attacking people like last time." And that was the end of that.

Once lunch was finished, Axel approached Roxas and clapped the kid on the back. "Want to see my room?" he asked, grinning.

Roxas raised an eyebrow. Why was he receiving so much attention from the redhead? "Um... Axel, was it?"

Axel grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "You remembered kid! Got it memorized, eh?"

Lexaeus groaned from across the room. "Stop saying that..."

Axel stuck his tongue out at Lexaeus. "Aren't you supposed to be the 'Silent Hero,' Lexy?" He dodged a well-aimed book, probably one of Zexion's, and wrapped a lanky arm around Roxas' shoulders. "Come on. Make it worth your while?" He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

If Roxas had half a brain, he would've seen the suggestiveness of the offer and refused. Too bad he only had a quarter at the moment. "Sure. What do you want to do?"

Axel smirked, pulling the other close while leading him to his room. "Oh, just show you the main place to be, ya know?"

Demyx followed lamely like a puppy, only to be glared at by Axel. Demyx pouted, and whined a little before he saw Xigbar doing something fun and wandered over there.

They walked down the hall, and then they were in front of Axel's door, which was charred beyond recognition and the number was hanging off. Axel chuckled. "Here's my humble abode!"

This should have been another warning sign to Roxas, but his quarter of a brain didn't register the danger a charred door represented. Instead, he asked, "Does the rest of your room look like that?"

Axel grinned. "Maybe, maybe not." He ruffled Roxas' hair like a child, and opened the door to his room. Of course, it couldn't really be considered a room; more like the remnants of a house that firefighters couldn't save. The walls were charred and had several burn marks decorating the what used to be white decor. The rest of the room was a messy teenager's haven. Clothing was sprawled on the ground and thrown on the bed. The window had a sock hanging off of it and the dresser had boxers with flame decals haphazardly tossed on it.

Axel put his hands on his hips and chuckled. "Great room ain't it?"

Roxas blinked. "Um... it smells like... burning."

"Well yeah. That's the best part." Axel flopped onto his bed. "Keeps bugs and flowers out. Larxene and Marluxia hate the smell of burning." He grinned.

"Right." Roxas looked around the room once more. "You sleep in here?" Roxas wasn't a neat freak, but even with his lack of a brain he could tell this place was a pigsty.

Axel laughed. "Uh, yeah? Where else would I sleep?" He looked confused by the question, as if it had never occurred to him.

Roxas sighed lightly, rocking on his toes while watching the other. Axel seemed to notice his anxiety and patted the bed next to him, motioning for him to jump on as well. Roxas frowned at this, but approached the bed cautiously, he lifted his knee up slowly and started to climb on because it was a very high bed due to Axel's height. Axel chuckled and grabbed the back of Roxas' cloak, hoisting him up and plopping him right next to him.

Roxas felt his cheeks grow warm, and he didn't understand why on top of that, Axel was staring at him intensely with those emerald green eyes. Roxas decided maybe he should say something to break the tension. "Um...why don't you like Marluxia and Larxene?"

"Because they're as annoying as hell," Axel replied, still watching the Key of Destiny. "You haven't had to deal with them as long, but they'll piss you off soon, too. Especially Marluxia."

"How come?"

Axel shook his head, at last breaking eye contact with Roxas. "Besides his plant obsession, he has trouble keeping it in his pants."

Roxas blinked. "Come again?"

"He likes doing the other members."

"Doing what to them?"

Axel slapped his forehead. "Uh... certain things... you do... to... special people... ya know?"

Roxas frowned, not understanding. "Okay... So who does he do 'special things' with?"

Axel laughed a little, "Well, he's tried with just about everybody. I burnt him a few times, and he's stopped. He _really_ likes to bother Vexen, but his first choice was our Berserker... Of course he didn't know about the Superior, sooo that's the reason why Marluxia can't reproduce."

Roxas cocked his head to one side. "How is that the reason?"

Axel grinned. "The Superior had Marluxia adjusted to deal with that drive of his."

"I don't get it! What drive? What things? Why are you talking in riddles Axel?" He pouted cutely.

"Keep it up, and I'll just have to show you," Axel teased, reaching out and holding Roxas's chin in his hand.

"Why don't you?"

That made Axel chuckle. "Well, I could, but then I wouldn't want to stop."

"Would I want you to?"

A rye smile. "Maybe, maybe not."

Roxas felt his cheeks grow hot again and he avoided the other's eyes. Axel lightly stroked his chin with the pad of his thumb, smiling and cooing, "You're so bashful Roxas." Roxas shifted a little and had a weird sensation, he didn't know how to handle it so he jumped up and dashed for the door, leaving a surprised Flurry sitting there dumbfounded.

Axel finally found his voice when Roxas was out the door. "Roxy, wait!"

The door slammed shut behind him, and Roxas stood with his back against the doorframe, his cheeks red and huffing out of breath. A silky-smooth voice asked from his one side. "Roxas isn't it? You look flustered. Did Axel do something bad?"

Marluxia's question made Roxas nearly jump out of his skin. After what Axel had done and said, he suddenly didn't trust the flowery assasin anymore. "N-nothing happened," Roxas stammered.

"Oh, nonsense," Marluxia said, his voice silky. "To get a Nobody riled up, especially an idiot like you, it had to be something good. What, couldn't get Axel in the mood?"

Roxas's lips turned a little, twitching, not knowing what response to give. "In what mood?"

Marluxia smirked, his face lighting up with amusement. "_Oh_. I see." He grinned to himself and leaned down next to Roxas. "You don't even get what sex is, do you?"

Roxas blinked. "No... Is it some kind of food?"

Marluxia's eyes glinted with some evil intent, he reached out towards Roxas. "Let me show you all about it-"

Roxas found himself being hoisted off the ground and all of a sudden Marluxia was being choked, held up by one strong arm. Lexaeus narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Number XI, do not ever attempt that again."

"It's not like I'd hurt the brat," Marluxia choked out, then gasped for air as Lexaeus's grip tightened around his throat. "Okay! Okay, I get it! Put me down."

Lexaeus released the assasin, who crumpled to the ground, gasping as he rubbed his neck. The Silent Hero then turned without another word and carried Roxas all the way back to the boy's room. He set Roxas down at his door and said simply, "Don't let Marluxia touch you again."

"But what was he going to do?" Roxas asked cluelessly.

Lexeaus blinked, then shifted awkwardly. "He was... um..." Embarrassed, he leaned down and whispered the details into Roxas's ear, which caused the boy to turn so red he made Axel's hair look drab. Lexeaus didn't look much more comfortable with the conversation. "Yes, so um... That's what Marluxia was getting at. And anyone else who talks like that."

Roxas felt like his face was on fire. He bowed a little in thanks to Lexeaus and closed the door quickly. He plopped back down on his own bed and thought about something. If Marluxia meant _that_, did that mean Axel wanted _that_ too? Roxas looked at the ceiling with a disappointed expression, he didn't understand anything anymore. He closed his eyes quietly and decided to try again tomorrow.


	4. Poker

Roxas blinked lightly, rubbing his eyes lamely and rolling out of bed. He frowned and looked towards the door, unsure if he should just call it a day or keep going. He sighed and dressed himself, taking one long pause before closing the door behind him. He was instantly hit by a weird scent. It was strong and pungent, hanging around the air and burning his nostrils.

An arm slapped him on the back. "Oi! Roxas wha chu doin'?"

Roxas turned to face a blonde man with ear piercings... Luxord wasn't it? His eyes were slightly bloodshot, but he seemed coherent. Roxas thought for a moment and responded, "Um, standing… and breathing?"

Luxord tipped his head back and let out a hearty laugh. "Ah good one boy!"

"Um... What about you? Are you not feeling well?"

Luxord guffawed. "I'm fine! Me and me mates are having a jolly good time!" He slapped Roxas on the back a couple more times. "Wanna join us fer some cards?"

Cards didn't sound too threatening to Roxas, so he nodded slightly. Luxord grinned. "Great!" He tugged Roxas to his own room where everyone had assembled.

There was a large square table situated for all the members and some cards spread out. Luxord plopped down in his seat and Axel motioned for Roxas to sit next to him. Once seated, Roxas looked around to see that various odd smelling drinks were passed around in front of the cards, and all but Xemnas and Saix were in the room. Luxord cleared his throat, wobbling ever-so-slightly, "Heheh! Now my friends! We play strip poker!"

It seemed like Roxas would never understand what was going on in this crazy castle. "What's strip poker?" he asked stupidly.

"It's when if you lose, you strip," Xaldin said. He took a swig of his drink.

"What's stripping?"

Demyx giggled fiercely. He jumped Roxas and said, "It's when you do this!" and pulled the boy's coat off.

Lexaeus pulled the Nocturne off and helped Roxas back up. "Perhaps you should go," he said, but his words seemed slower than usual and a little slurred together. "This isn't a game for kids."

Before Roxas could respond Axel tugged Roxas next to him, giggling as loudly as Demyx, "Shut up Lexy! He's a little man! He can handle himself! YAH!"

Roxas noticed Axel's slightly flushed face and dazed expression. He decided to play along and nodded as the cards were dealt. Of course, Roxas had no idea how to play poker. Axel slapped on his back affectionately, "Don't worrryy little duddde! I got yur back!"

Xigbar snorted, "That's not all you want to get Axel."

"Shut it!" Axel slurred back at him. "That's s'posed to be a secret!" He laughed and flung an arm around Roxas.

Luxord grinned. "So who'sh ready so play?"

Axel waved his and Roxas' hand madly. "We is!"

Roxas desperately tried to inch towards Lexaeus for safety, only to be yanked back by Axel.

Xigbar grinned. He had a high tolerance for alcohol, as did Xaldin. "Let's play boys!"

Demyx giggled insanely. "BOYS! HEHE! Xiggy!" He jumped at Xigbar and landed an the Freeshooter's feet, flailing madly like a fish out of water.

Xigbar just raised an eyebrow. "Alrrright."

Xaldin chuckled, "Looks like you got an admirer as well, _Xiggy_." Luxord started the game slowly so that it didn't seem he was too good at it.

Round one went to Axel. Everyone took off their coats, Roxas unwillingly. Round two went to Luxord. Except for Axel, who took off his coat, everyone lost their shirts-Axel had to pull Roxas's off for him, since he wasn't doing it himself.

Before the third round, Axel grabbed a shot of the strange liquid and shoved it into Roxas's hands. "You gotta looshen up! Drink! Drink!"

"I-I'm not so sure I want to-"

Axel lifted up the glass. "Then maybe I just has to give it mouth-to-mouth." He guffawed, as did a couple other toasted members.

Roxas frowned. "What do you mean-?" His eyes widened as Axel's lips crushed against his own, and the Flurry shoved him a bit shamelessly against the ground, using his tongue to help siphon the liquid into the other's mouth. Roxas coughed weakly, almost choking. Axel pinched his nose shut, and he was forced to swallow the intruding and foul-tasting liquid anyway. He blinked when Axel did not remove himself and remained lip-locked to him for several more seconds, before breaking the embrace. Roxas felt his cheeks grow hot again, and his lips were tingling from the contact. "Wha... what was that?"

The rest of the organization present cheered and started shouting cat calls.

"Get a room, you two!"

"Smoochie smoochie!"

"Sexay!"

There were other jeers, but Roxas was too busy blushing and being confused by the tingling in his lips and foul taste in his mouth. "W-what was that?" he repeated.

Axel grinned. "Whiskey!" he said, grabbing another shot and offering it to Roxas. "I don't think you're drunk enough. I think more mouth-to-mouth'll fix that-"

Lexeaus lifted Axel off Roxas and dropped him back into his seat. "No drinks for the kid."

Roxas blushed deeply and looked up to Lexeaus with grateful eyes. "T-thanks."

Lexeaus nodded a little, smiling in a lopsided manner.

Axel pouted at Lexeaus, "You're no fun Lexy!"

Zexion frowned a little. He was a bit tipsy and slouched forward. "Don't you... don't you pick on.. Lexeaus you... you douche!"

Luxord laughed, "Ohhhhhh this is gettin' good mates, gettin' good."

Another round of drinks, and a few more rounds of cards, and soon everyone but Luxord was in their boxers. And Roxas because Lexeaus glared at anyone who approached the boy to undress him or try to give him more to drink. Though that protection was slowly fading with every drink they convinced Lexeaus to drink.

Once Lexeaus was too drunk to stop others, the sexual harrassment began. Axel was clinging to Roxas again, cooing nonsense and trying to plant alcohol infused kisses while Roxas tried to shove him away. And Axel was trying to get Roxas to catch up on the stripping.

Of course, as Roxas would find out, help shows up from unexpected places.

As Axel grabbed his pants and hook his arms around Roxas' waist, Saix decided to show up, and the room went very quiet. Saix cleared his throat. His eyes narrowed dangerously at the group as he scanned over it. He spotted Roxas and promptly marched over, literally smacked Axel off and helped the boy to his feet.

"Thanks," Roxas muttered.

Saix glared at Axel. "If I see you trying to rape another member of this organization, you'll end up like Marluxia," he snapped. He marched Roxas out of the room. "If I catch you doing that again, you will be punished."

"But I didn't do anything," Roxas replied. He suddenly didn't feel so well and leaned heavily on Saix's arm.

"You were drinking."

"Only because they made me."

Saix sighed. "I wouldn't put it past them. Well," he stopped at Roxas's room. "You probably won't remember much of this week anyway." He opened the door for Roxas and helped him inside.

"Why not?"

"Nobody remembers their first week. In Demyx's case, he can't remember his first month too well." Saix sat Roxas on the bed then turned to go. "Stay here. I'll bring something to make you feel better."

"How'd you-"

"You're not the only one who can't hold their liquor." Saix walked away.

Roxas blinked at that remark and waited patiently on his bed, his feet dangling over the side lamely. He sighed, rubbing his head, which now felt triple the size and weight.

Saix returned with a potion in one hand and a nice cup of tea in the other. He handed the potion to Roxas. "Drink this first. It should help you regain your senses." Roxas nodded, drinking all the potion and looking up at the Berserker expectantly. Saix then handed him the tea with a stoic expression. "Now the tea to settle your stomach."

Roxas sipped lightly at the mug and asked, "How do you know all this?"

Saix rolled his eyes lightly, a rare expression of humility crossing his features. "They tried it with me the first week, but they didn't realize that when I don't think coherently, I revert back to the berserker state. That's the explanation for half of Xigbar's scars." Roxas winced a little, imagining an insane drunk Saix.

"Now get some rest," Saix said, turning to leave. "You'll probably feel like hell later, but it's nothing compared to what the others will face." It didn't escape Roxas's notice that the berserk had drawn his claymore as he stepped out.

Deciding Saix knew best, Roxas laid down, but he couldn't close his eyes. He felt terrible, but that didn't mean he felt tired. Still, at some point he must have drifted off because he was awakened by groans and complaints outside the door.

He peeked outside, feeling a little better, and saw the other members stumbling past, holding their heads and groaning. A few of them seemed to have sustained some physical injury as well, but Roxas struggled to remember why they were like this. He knew he'd been involved, but he couldn't remember what could have happened.

Well, whatever it was, it didn't matter too much to Roxas. Once the others were all gone, he went down to the dining room where only Saix, Xemnas, Larxene, and a bright-eyed Demyx were sitting.

"Why are the others all beat up?" Roxas asked, sitting in his usual chair.

Xemnas smirked lightly over the rim of his coffee mug and passed a look to Saïx, who smiled at Roxas. "No reason to worry," Saïx replied coolly. "Punishment was due and served."

Larxene frowned. "Demyx, how come you're not drunk?"

Demyx giggled, "I control water! No hang-overs forrrr meeee!" He grinned, hugging his Arpeggio close to his body.

Larxene raised a brow and watched as Roxas squirmed. "Superior? Are we going to have dinner?"

Xemnas rubbed his chin lightly, "Hmmm... how about... we eat out?"

"There are places to eat besides here?" Roxas asked cluelessly.

"Yes, but they're far more expensive, and we can't bring the troublemakers," Xemnas replied. "I believe Xigbar's been banned from most eating establishments."

"Can we go to a diner?" Demyx asked hopefully. "The one that serves the funny shaped pancakes?"

Larxene rolled her eyes. "You and your pancakes, Demyx."

Saix smiled ever-so-slightly at Demyx's remark. "I don't see why we can't. Right Superior?"

Xemnas nodded. "To a diner we go then."

He opened up a portal, and the others walked through. They arrived at a nice diner and quickly were seated in a booth. Demyx was literally shaking with excitement, "Pancakes pancakes." He continued to chant his little pancake mantra.

A woman came over with a notepad and some menus. "Ya'll are dressed up strangely. Who ya'll tryin' ta be, a band?"

Xemnas was about to correct her, but Larxene butted in, "Yes. We just finished opening for a show and we're famished."

The woman nodded and passed out the menu. "Take your time orderin'."

"Pancakes!" Demyx cried, happily.

Larxene didn't even look. "Burger."

Xemnas took one glance and said, "Same. And coffee."

Saix said the same.

Only Roxas didn't know what to order, so when all eyes were on him, he couldn't say anything. Saix ended up ordering for him. "Give him a burger, fries, and a soda."

"Right." The woman stopped writing up the order and walked away.

Roxas blushed lightly and looked at Saïx. "How'd you know I'd like that?"

Saix raised an eyebrow. "I know everything."

Xemnas snorted a little at that, gathering up the menus and handing a bib to Demyx.

Demyx pouted, "But I don't need one!" he whined a little.

Xemnas grinned. "You _always_ need one." Saix chuckled and Larxene grinned a little.

The waitress returned with everyone's drinks. She raised an eyebrow at Demyx but didn't say a word as she passed them out. The management had told her that these people were infamous freaks, but at least they tipped well, so no one complained. "Food'll be out in a minute."

Xemnas frowned a bit at the looks the waitress was giving Demyx and elbowed him slightly. "Behave Demyx."

Demyx pouted a little, his lower lip wiggling in a vain attempt to be cute. "_Fine_!"

Once the food came, Saix did something completely unexpected. He cut the burger in two for Roxas and set the napkin on his lap before actually eating himself.

Roxas stared at his halved burger, then at Saix in shock. His memory still might've been subpar, but even he remembered how crazy Saix could be. "Are you feeling okay?"

Larxene cackled at Roxas's expression. "He always behaves himself in public. If he acted like he usually does, we'd be banned from every restaurant in every world."

Demyx giggled at that, syrup dripping down his chin and hitting the bib. Apparently Xemnas had been right about him being a messy eater.

Saix glared at Larxene, "There's nothing wrong with the way I act."

Xemnas nodded in approval. "Yes, VII is quite fine the way he is."

Larxene rolled her eyes. "Look, it's fine when he's out mutilating Heartless of our enemies, but not while eating."

Roxas took a big bite of his burger, glad that he could finally eat meat without Saix ripping it from his hands and keeping it for himself. "So... um... what do we do after this? Return to castle?"

Saix took a sip of his coffee and nodded. "And hopefully the rest of the organization will have recovered by then."

Roxas frowned a little, feeling a weird slight uncomfortable sensation. "You...you didn't hurt Axel too bad did you?"

Saix stop chewing. He swallowed the rest of the burger and met the blonde's eyes. "Why?

Larxene giggled. "Ooooo someone's got a crush."

Xemnas frowned at the general topic and sighed. "Larxene act your age." He then turned his eyes on Roxas. "Tell us. After what I heard Axel tried to do, why would you care?"

Roxas blinked. "What did he try to do again?"

Saix slapped his forehead. "Something that isn't appropriate to talk about in public over dinner. And to answer your question," he added, "no. His punishment is the hangover from that much drinking." He gestured to Demyx. "If Demyx doesn't get a hangover, Axel gets the world's worst."

"Softy," Larxene muttered.

Saix growled at Larxene. "I am not being soft on Lea. I-" His pointed ears flicked back and he aggressively picked up his coffee, his eyes drowning in its depth.

Larxene giggled. "Oh...that's cute.

Roxas looked around. "Whose Lea?"

"Axel's true name, before he became a nobody," Demyx replied, setting down his fork now that his pancakes were gone. "Mine was Myde, Saix's was Isa, and Xemnas was... Well, I don't know what Xemnas's was, actually."

"What was mine?" Roxas asked.

"Sora," Xemnas replied, finishing his food.

Roxas looked down, "That... doesn't... a 'V'?" He missed the slight flash of recognition in Xemnas' eyes and groaned lightly, holding his head. When he looked back at Xemnas, he saw someone with black hair.

Xemnas stared back at Roxas with an odd look. "Do you remember something?"

And just as quick as it appeared, the images faded away. Roxas shook his head, looking down at his half-eaten food.

Saix called for a box and they got ready to leave.

When they reached the castle, Roxas excused himself. "I don't feel so good," he muttered.

Saix sighed. "Perhaps you weren't as recovered as we thought." He nodded to Demyx. "Take him back to his room."

Demyx gave a little salute to Saïx. "Gotcha Puppy-dawg!"

Saix just narrowed his eyes and decided it was best not to respond to that. He turned and followed after Xemnas down the hall.

Larxene laughed a little, slapping Roxas on the back. "Don't vomit all over the place newbie!"

Demyx gently led Roxas back to his room and helped him back on his bed, "You should probably catch some Z's, ya know?"

Roxas nodded weakly and decided to nap off his newly discovered illness.


	5. Princesses and Dungeons

The next morning was far too early for Roxas. He could hear the rest of the organization out in the hall, talking and discussing plans for missions, waking him from a deep sleep. If felt far too early for breakfast, but Roxas still got up and went downstairs.

Everyone else seemed awake and well, unlike the night before. Only Demyx seemed sleepy, but he was the only one.

Axel stood when he saw Roxas come in. "Hey, you okay?"

Roxas rubbed his eyes sleepily and yawned. "I'm fine. I was just sleepy and didn't feel good last night."

He sat next to Axel, making the redhead grin. "Oh? What happened while I was gone?" Axel elbowed the other lightly.

Demyx grinned, suddenly regaining some energy. "We got pancakes!"

Axel pouted. "Aw, you went out to eat? How come?"

Xemnas munched lightly on some toast. "You all were drunk anyhow. I thought it best you sleep off your hangovers."

Saix nodded in agreement. "The Superior shouldn't have to explain himself. Axel, you didn't go, deal with it and move on."

Axel rolled his eyes. "Sure thing, Moony."

"My name's not Moony," Saix snapped back. "I am not a Harry Potter character."

"Coulda fooled me." Axel took a swig of his coffee, then turned to Roxas. "So what're you planning to do today? Because if you don't have-"

"You're going on a mission," Saix interrupted. "You've been on break far too long."

Axel groaned. "Aw, come on, Saix! I'm still recovering from that last mi-"

"You looked perfectly recovered when you were trying to get in Roxas's pants," Saix sneered. "Tough luck. You're going."

Axel growled, "You're just mad no one's trying to get in _your _pants! That's why you're such a douche!"

Saix's eyes flashed a bit, and Xemnas cleared his throat at the head of the table. "Number VIII, enough. You shouldn't challenge your superiors or bring up their personal lives." Saix's ears flicked back and he looked at the Superior a little strangely in Roxas' opinion, but who was he to judge?

Axel huffed and crossed his arms, "Fine, but can I take Roxy with me?"

Xigbar laughed. "You want to kill the kid?"

"If he's a member of this Organization, he can take care of himself," Axel replied tartly.

Xemnas shouted, "Enough!" He glared at everyone, then said, "Roxas will stay here until he's stabilized and I have some proof that his memory isn't coming and going. Understand?" Everyone nodded mutely. "Good." He leaned back in his seat. "If you're finished with your food, go on your mission. If not, hurry up." He nodded to Saix before standing and leaving.

Larxene groaned and stretched. "Whelp, I'm off today," she declared in a sneer aimed at Axel. "Perhaps I'll baby-sit today, since I'm in such a good mood."

Everyone gaped at her, even Saix. "You'll kill him!" Demyx whined. "Just like you killed my hamster Fluffy!"

"Surely Roxas is tougher than a hamster," Larxene scoffed. "Besides, you all have missions, since I was the only one working yesterday." She stood and took Roxas by the shoulder. "Come on, brat."

A slight look of fear crossed Roxas's features as he followed after the Nymph. Axel needed to be restrained from throwing himself after Roxas, and cries of "ROXXXXXY I'M COMINNNG!" could be heard the whole way down the hall.

Larxene rolled her eyes. "He's such a moron." She stepped in front of her room, or what Roxas presumed was her room and shoved him in. "This way I can keep an eye on you."

Roxas fell into a pile of magazines. He lifted one up. It had too guys hugging. Roxas thought this was strange; it remind him of the way Axel hugged him. He frowned as he looked around the room. It was like a pink version of the Castle that Never Was.

"You laugh, you die," Larxene said, sitting down on her pink love seat and flipping open a book with two men hugging much like Axel hugged Roxas when he was drunk. The only difference was both were shirtless and the one had a hand awfully close to the other's pants.

"What are you reading?" Roxas asked, looking through a couple of the other magazines he'd fallen into. Every single one had men being intimate on the covers.

"You wouldn't like it. Well, you might, but considering the way Axel's pining for you, you wouldn't get it anyway."

Roxas stared at her in confusion. "Could... could you explain it to me then?"

Larxene blinked in surprise and lowered her magazine with a raised eyebrow. "You... want me... a girl… to tell you about gay guys?" Roxas nodded helplessly. Larxene rolled on the ground in laughter. "Ah, that's rich!"

"Please?"

Larxene stopped laughing. "You were serious?" She looked him over once again. "Lexeaus said he explained it all to you already, though."

Roxas tilted his head. "He did?"

She sighed. "Right. Your memory still sucks." She flipped through her book, then handed it to Roxas. "Here. Read."

Roxas did. It was a book with pictures and speech bubbles. He flipped through the pages, examining each picture as he went, then suddenly his face turned bright red. He tried to say something, but no sound would come out.

Larxene cackled. "I knew it!" She took the book back. "That's how most people react to their first Yaoi. Some people don't get past it!"

"Are... Axel and me the only ones?"

Larxene thought about it for a moment, a grin crossing her features. "The only... _obvious_ ones."

Roxas blinked. "Obvious?"

"Lexeaus and Zexion. Marluxia with just about anyone he can get his hands on. Let's see..." She was counting on her fingers. "Demyx and Xigbar... or maybe Xaldin, I can never remember which." She shrugged. "I'm pretty sure there's something between the Superior and Saix, but I've yet to prove it."

Roxas felt sick. "I-is that normal?"

"Around here it is."

"A-and you?"

Larxene raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I look like a man?" She paused. "You know what, I'm probably manlier than Marluxia. Never mind. No." She paused, then admitted, "Once, but me and Luxord were really drunk."

"I guess that makes me feel a little better."

Larxene snorted. "Kid, we don't _feel_. Get used to it." She thought about something, "I would kill to get a tape of the Superior and Saix... I'd never have mission duties again."

Roxas blinked. "They didn't seem... to me."

"Yeah, well, you're missing part of your brain," Larxene replied.

"Right... Um... Mind if I go?" He took another look around the pink princess room with its posters of boy bands and shelves full of yaoi.

Larxene shrugged. "Suit yourself. The others might even be back by now." She smirked. "Maybe Axel will like you more now that you know how that works."

Roxas sighed, thinking about it and deciding to leave anyhow. He turned the knob and bumped into a wall of muscle. Xaldin looked down at him and scoffed, "Knew that Larxene couldn't watch you." He grabbed Roxas by his hood and dragged the boy to his room. "Now stay here with me. No wandering off, or else." His eyes glinted evilly, and Roxas swallowed hard.

The room Xaldin shoved Roxas in was the most terrifying Roxas had seen so far. There were chains hanging on the walls. An iron maiden in the corner. A wrack in the center. The only normal thing in this whole room was the bed, and even that left Roxas shaking. There were cuffs on the headboard.

"C-can I just go back to my room?" Roxas asked, inching to the door.

Xaldin grabbed his hood and threw him on the bed. "No."

Roxas trembled a bit in fear. "Why do you have all of these... things?"

Xaldin smirked, leaning over him in an intimidating manner. "I like punishing people."

"W-why?"

Xaldin scratched his head and then shrugged. "Dunno."

Roxas wished he was back with Axel again, or with Saix in the restaurant,

What could Roxas do? He was trapped in this room with a psycho, and he was too terrified to think. But how could he feel terror? He had no heart, didn't he? He shouldn't be able to feel anything.

"I just want to go back to my room," Roxas whimpered.

Xaldin raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you really shaking? Please. We have no hearts. You can't feel anything."

_I know_, Roxas thought miserably. "Just let me back to my room."

"No."

Roxas stomach churned uncomfortably, but whether from fear or stress or something else, he didn't know. "Please?"

Before Xaldin could answer, there were a set of swift knocks on the door, seven to be precise. Xaldin groaned, muttering to himself but making no moments. The sound was repeated, albeit more aggressively this time. Roxas' nonexistent heart jumped. Was he going to be saved?

The knocking ceased. Then the door smashed open. Saix stood with his Claymore at his side, looked rather bemused by the situation. "Xaldin. Mission. Go."

Xaldin grumbled. "Whatever. You owe me for a new door," he grumbled as he stalked past the blue-haired Nobody.

Once he was out of sight, Saix walked in and offered a hand to help Roxas up. "Sorry about that. Xaldin's a little more unfeeling that the rest of us."

Roxas nodded weakly, and accepting the hand, he blushed. "I owe you twice now."

Saix frowned a little, raising a delicate blue brow. "Oh? I lose count for all the things I'm forced to do."

Roxas wondered if the man was being serious or modest. He really couldn't tell with Saïx; he was quite the mystery.

"Go back to your room. It's late now, and we'll probably have a mission for you tomorrow." Saix led Roxas out of Xaldin's room and left.


	6. Break a Leg

Roxas woke up, stretching his tired limbs as he looked around his room. His brain was slowly becoming more adapted to the Organization's weird ways. He frowned a bit and got out of bed, tugging on his cloak and the rest of his uniform as he headed for the door. He sighed, turning the knob and dreading the mission that was to come.

He traveled to the Grey Area and spotted Saix. Saix looked at him, a smirk twisting his lips. "Today you will be on a mission with Number VI."

Roxas stared at Saix stupidly for a moment. "Which one's VI again?" he asked, completely lost with this number system. "And what's the mission?"

Saix sighed and motioned towards Zexion, "That is number VI, and today your mission is a basic training mission in order to get you assimilated with the rest of the Organization and how we accomplish our goals. Number VI is proficient in magic and is quite capable of showing you how to defend yourself."

Roxas raised an eyebrow, "Where are we going?"

"The training room," Saix replied stiffly. "Until we're positive your memory is stable, we're not letting you out of this castle. Now go."

Roxas pouted slightly at the small insult but turned to spot Zexion, who was reading his Lexicon as always. He walked over and quietly asked, "So when are we going?"

Zexion closed his book with a snap and brushed a few stray strands of hair back into their usual place over his eye before answering, "Now." He held his hand up and formed a portal, waiting for Roxas to enter before going himself.

On the other side was a room Roxas hadn't been in yet, but it was obviously still part of the castle because of the white floors and walls. Roxas stared around as Zexion said, "I will be teaching you basic fighting skills, like-" He stopped when Roxas started wandering around the room. "Ahem!" Roxas turned back to him. "If you would listen, I'm teaching you basic battle techniques. In other words, how to summon your weapon and how to open dark portals."

"Why didn't you say that before?" Roxas asked, tilting his head.

Already Roxas was getting on Zexion's nerves. "If you would listen to me, I will explain."

Roxas pouted a little, noticing his attention was not up to the Schemer's standards. He looked directly at Zexion, making sure to show the other had his full attention.

Zexion nodded more to himself than to Roxas and continued, "Now for a dark portal, you lift up your hand like so, and use the darkness inside of yourself, through willpower alone, to open a rip in space. It's sort of like how Xigbar's power works."

Roxas was beyond confused, "W-what?"

Zexion sighed and looked irritated. "Close your eyes." Roxas did. "Look inside yourself for darkness."

Roxas did, but didn't find anything. He opened one eye and said, "I can't find it."

That pissed Zexion off more. "You're not looking hard enough!" he shouted, losing his composure. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then said, "Fine. We'll work on your weapon instead. Close your eyes." Roxas did as he was told. "Look inside yourself for your power."

This time, Roxas did find something. It was bright and warm. "I found it."

"Good. Now give it form. Coax it into what it should be."

The power Roxas found reacted instantly. The warmth spread from where his heart should have been, down his arm, and then something was in Roxas hand. He looked at it, stunned. It wasn't like any of the others' weapons. It was a huge Key-shaped sword. "What is this?"

Zexion looked stunned and suddenly afraid for a moment. "A... Keyblade." His eyes narrowed as he thought carefully before the reassuring teacher-like look returned to his face. "Good. You've summoned your weapon. Now try it out. Does any name come to mind?"

Roxas swung the Keyblade slightly. It was so natural in his grip. "A name?"

Zexion nodded. "Yes. All of our weapons have names. I suppose yours might have different versions, so the name is waiting to be revealed. Interesting."

Roxas nodded softly, fascinated at the Keyblade. "It's a key and a sword at the same time," he said, eyes fixed on the blade. "Keyblade... That sounds right."

Zexion nodded to himself. "Yes, that will do for now, I suppose. Let's test it, shall we?" He waved his hand, and a couple Dusks appeared.

Roxas jumped a few feet back, "W-what are those?"

Zexion sighed. "They're Dusks, lesser nobodies, the remains of humans whose hearts weren't strong enough to keep human form. Or, the possible outcome of an Organization member who doesn't listen to the Superior. Now fight."

He dropped his hand and the ziggly creatures launched themselves at Roxas. Roxas raised his Keyblade to defend himself and knocked one on the head to make it go away. The dusk disappeared. Roxas blinked. "Uh, what happened?"

"You destroyed it," Zexion replied. "Your Keyblade is especially strong against Nobodies and Heartless."

"What's a Heartless?"

"They're the darkness within a heart."

"Like us?"

Zexion sighed, flicking his hair back into place. "No, we are heartless, but not in the same sense."

Roxas frowned and held his head. "Ugh, my head. I'm so confused."

"It can be confusing," Zexion agreed. "It's a good thing you don't have to think. You just have to follow orders." He opened a portal. "That's enough for today."

"But I didn't open one of those portal things."

"Hmph. Maybe you're not ready. Good day." He stepped through the portal.

Roxas didn't know what else to do, so he followed Zexion through the portal back to the lounge. He slammed into Zexion's back and fell over with an "Umph!"

Saix chuckled a bit at Zexion's expression and nodded. "You're mission is accomplish, I presume?"

Zexion's face was set in an angry glare. "Yes. He can summon his weapon but not a dark portal."

"I suppose it's to be expected," Saix said thoughtfully, "considering who is other is. Very well. You both have the rest of your day to yourself."

Zexion spun on his heel and walked away, not looking back as he left the lounge. He didn't even notice when something fell out of his pocket.

Roxas scooped the small thing up. "A mask?" He held it to his face and wondered briefly what he looked like in it. It was white, and only covered half his face. "Wonder why he has this?" Well, it didn't matter. He had to go after Zexion and give it back.

He chased after the Schemer and once again bumped into him. Zexion whirled around. "What? Do you constantly _need_ to run into me every five seconds?" He was obviously in a hurry.

Roxas held the mask out to him. "You dropped this."

Zexion's angry demeanor dropped instantly, and he blushed a little. "Uh...thanks Roxas."

"What's it for?" Roxas asked, confused.

The Schemer turned away, pocketting the mask. "Nothing that concerns you." He took the few steps to his door and went into his room.

"Is it a weapon?" Roxas asked, poking his head into Zexion's room.

"No." Zexion tried to close the door before Roxas could see inside, but it was too late.

The room was crowded with costumes and bookshelves, wigs and props. Half the things Roxas had never seen before. Others looked familiar but weren't quite correct. Large back drops hung from the walls. It was like looking into another world.

"Tell anyone and die," Zexion hissed.

"About what?" Roxas looked around cluelessly.

Zexion slapped his forehead. "We're not supposed to have other jobs. I act in a theater in Twilight Town."

"So?"

This was infuriating for Zexion. "So the Superior might turn me into a Dusk for breaking the rules!"

Roxas bit his lower lip in thought. "I guess... but the Superior doesn't seem like a bad guy to me."

Zexion snorted. "Good one. Oh, you're serious." He smirked, "Newbies..."

Roxas stepped more into the room and Zexion closed the door behind him. Roxas got quiet, thinking for a minute. "So you fake emotions?"

"If people with real emotions can do it, so can I," Zexion replied coolly. "I don't have the real thing getting in my way." He was getting things together. Make up, costume bits, props, a script. He stood with his bag and said, "Good day. I have rehearsal."

"Oh." Roxas stepped aside. "Um. Good luck?"

The performer rolled his eyes. "You say 'Break a leg' to actors."

"Why would I do that? Doesn't breaking legs hurt?"

Another eye roll. He heft the bag onto his shoulder and pushed Roxas out of his room.


	7. Lost Again

There were more people than usual in the lounge, Roxas realized, as he walked into the room. The Nobodies were relaxing and goofing off as they seemed always to be doing, but one was missing.

"Hey, where's Saix?" he asked.

Axel cracked open an eye lazily. "Who knows. Maybe he forgot to leave a sign saying we got the day off."

He frowned. "What's a day off?"

Axel grinned. "That means we get to be lazy and do nothing all day." He stretched a little, his bones snapping into place.

Demyx giggled, strumming his sitar. "This is so fun. We should have them more often."

Axel nodded fervently as Roxas came and sat next to him. The young Nobody scanned the room and voiced his concerns to all members present. "So what do I do if I'm not on a mission?"

"You could hang out with me," Axel suggested.

Somehow that made Roxas nervous. "Um, I'm gonna go find Saix and ask if we really have the day off."

He inched out of the room and headed towards the door adorned with the numerals VII. He had finally figured out how to differentiate between the rooms, and he knocked on it quietly. "S-saix?" He was nervous, Saix was unpredictable. One moment he was trying to kill you, the next he was taking care of you. He gulped but gathered up what pride he had and cracked open the door. "H-hello?"

What Roxas could see of the room was untouched. The bed was freshly made, or more, untouched. There were papers neatly organized on a desk off to the side. The curtains were drawn shut. Nothing was out of place.

"Saix, sir?" He opened the door wider and saw that only half the room was presentable. The other half was torn to pieces. A chair was snapped in two, something resembling a nest sat in a ruined corner, the wallpaper was ripped off the walls. It was hard to tell if a human or a monster lived in this room.

But whatever lived here, nothing was there now.

"Where is he?" Roxas muttered to himself, glancing around. No clues.

He scratched his head a little. A dim light bulb went off in his brain. "If anyone would know, it'd be the Superior." He marched up the hallway to the largest door, complete with the numeral I. He knocked softly, hoping the Superior would answer but got no reply. After an awkward silence, he cracked the door open and looked inside. He saw a large white office space and a small library, but no bedroom and no Superior.

"Superior, sir?" Roxas called out again, but there was no one there to hear him.

_I guess I'll just wait for him,_ Roxas thought, stepping inside and sitting on a chair off to the side of the room. After a few minutes, though, he got bored and leaned back and stretched. Maybe they did just have the day off after all, if the Superior wasn't working either.

Something clicked as the chair leaned back, and suddenly the wall swung around, leaving an empty chair in the office and taking Roxas into another room, a hidden one. This one with zebra-striped carpeting. "What the?"

He was facing a heart-shaped bed that had a small canopy over it and something was moving. The romantically-pink strobe lighting and various aromas that hung in the air made Roxas feel... strange. He blushed a little when the canopy was slightly knocked aside, revealing none other than the Superior! Roxas rejoiced! He had found him, but when he went to call out to him, he noticed something else: the Superior wasn't alone.

The Superior was straddling Saïx, and Roxas just now realized Xemnas was slipping off his cloak in some sort of horrific strip-tease that Roxas felt himself becoming sick watching, yet, _for some odd reason he couldn't tear his eyes away_.

When Roxas heard Saix start saying _very_ inappropriate things and start stripping as well, Roxas' mind finally started working, and he wanted to be anywhere but here. He concentrated on the darkness like Zexion said and used a corridor, he could only think of one remotely safe place, and that was by the other members.

His corridor dropped him from the ceiling onto the couch next to Demyx who stared at him strangely. "Hey Roxy! You look like you saw a ghost! What happened?" The other members turned in interest as well.

"I-I saw..." Wait, what had he just seen again? Something that freaked him out horribly, that was for sure. "U-um..." He struggled to remember.

"Give the brat some space," Larxene said, shoving a few manly bodies out of the way. "He needs air, morons!"

Roxas frowned and closed his eyes. Why couldn't he remember? "Um... I saw... The Superior." Yes, that was right, but there was someone else too. "A-and Saix."

Larxene clapped her hands together gleefully. "Doing what? Doing _what_?"

What _were_ they doing? "Um, talking." Yes, that sounded right.

Her face fell. "Damn it!" she shouted, storming off.

Roxas didn't understand why she was so angry, but he didn't have a chance to think about it as everyone swarmed around him, demanding answers and descriptions. Roxas saw his vision go, getting dizzy and not being able to stand properly, "A-Axel... help." He fell over, passing out and luckily the redhead caught him just in time.

He faintly heard Axel say, "Back off, guys! He needs air!" And then, nothing.

* * *

After what felt like forever and just a few minutes at the same time, Roxas opened his eyes to Axel's smiling face. "Wha?"

"You passed out," Axel explained. "I guess you weren't as ready for normal organization work yet." He stood up. "Well, whatever. Saix said you'll be ready sooner or later."

Roxas just blinked, his vision hazy at best. "W-who?"

Axel sighed, pushing some stray blonde locks from the boy's hair. "You forgot again didn't you?"

Roxas frowned, biting his lower lip. "I'm sorry. Was I supposed to remember something?"

Axel just smiled, ruffling his hair lightly. "Nah kiddo. Maybe it's better this way. A new beginning." He helped Roxas to his feet and extended his hand in greeting. "My name's Axel." His grin seemed to light up the room.

"I'm Roxas," the boy replied, shaking the other's hand. "Nice to meet you."

And so they stepped out of his room for what felt like the first time.


End file.
